Why Twitter’s Project Lightning shows the need for smart content – at any size

Why do tech-savvy companies such as LinkedIn and Twitter require good old-fashioned editors when they could just build algorithms to do it for them? Cedar’s digital director, Robin Barnes, reports.

With new devices such as Apple Watch and new virtual reality ventures like Project Morpheus, as well as new content-based functions being rolled out for Facebook, Spotify and Twitter, 2015 looks set to be a golden year for new forms of content, new devices and smarter technologies.

With tailored notifications on different devices, growing numbers of responsively designed websites and mobile apps, consumers are easily able to access huge swathes of content at the push of a button. This vast rise in the amount of content has pushed audiences to the point of over-saturation, though fortunately brands are beginning to realise that it takes finesse to present content in a way that entertains and engages an audience.

This month, LinkedIn and Twitter both announced plans to hire editors who will curate relevant content and seek to become a one-stop shop for news content, the latter with its new Project Lightning which is set to compile lists for users to find information on breaking news and live events.

One might think that 140 character tweets wouldn’t fall into the category of content sizeable enough to be worthy of investing in a dedicated editor. Yet we’ve seen a recent swell across the industry for companies to be presenting users with smarter content, from Facebook announcing partnerships with leading publishers to create hosted content in-stream, to Apple’s move to news reporting with its new Apple News app.

It begs the question – why would these incredibly tech-savvy companies require good old-fashioned editors when they could just build apps and algorithms to do it for them? The answer is glaringly obvious – in a world with an excess of content, these brands are looking to cut through the noise and reach audiences with timely, relevant and engaging material.

While even the smartest algorithms can help personalise curated content – for example, Spotify’s upcoming mix-tape feature which compiles a personal playlist of songs by tracking what people listen to during the week – one thing an algorithm cannot do is take inspired risks.

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Even the best DJs don’t always play it safe, but rather take gambles and try new things with their audiences, learning from the response they get. This may not always be positive, but sometimes the risk pays off and the rewards are greater than if they’d just played old favourites.

The same goes for content, there’s a wealth of knowledge and experience that comes with an editorial background – a knack for teasing out the subtle nuances of a story or cutting content back to reach the core message. (It’s important to remember an editor’s role is just as much about what not to publish as it is about what to publish.)

We now find ourselves in a marketplace where it’s a constant fight to be seen, and the average consumer’s attention span is in danger of being shorter than that of the average goldfish. It has become even more important to get your brand message across in a faster, more succinct and impactful way.

We now see the rise of messaging strategies which incorporate ever-more niche content opportunities: the notification on your smartwatch, the app update message in iTunes or the purely visual content on Vine, Instagram or Snapchat. Each of these channels exploits a different niche in our audiences’ lives and can, therefore, gain better traction when targeted well.

Of course, this is reliant on reaching your audience at the right time and the right place – a beautifully crafted tweet is worthless if it’s not delivered at the ideal moment and fitting in the way in which it’s delivered. Not just the copy content, but also the context needs to be factored in here, tailoring content for the form it takes.

For example, receiving a TfL update on your way home in a simple, short notification on your Apple Watch – specific to your route – is more relevant, and digestible, than being bombarded with long notifications throughout the day.

Any algorithm can automate pushing out a piece of content such as a tweet, but it’s the human element that inspires trust. The knowledge that a person has taken the time to craft something personal for you has a much stronger impact than something generated by a faceless machine.

Ultimately the landscape of technology will continue to evolve as ever newer devices spring into being, shifting the dimensions of screen size and device capabilities. But it’s a human editor with the ability to learn from past experiences who can factor in the context of the moment and craft a piece of content that’s going to cut through the clutter to capture one of those fleeting moments of attention that makes content ‘smart’, regardless of its size.